In a post-pandemic world, the cool chain—responsible for transporting temperature-sensitive goods like vaccines and biologics—is clearly recognised as a critical component of global health infrastructure. And, as the pharmaceutical landscape evolves, so too must the infrastructure supporting it. Cell and gene therapies, highly specialised treatments, and complex supply chains demand next-generation solutions.

“Right now, we’re in the process of defining our next-generation container. The current design has been around for over 15 years—and it still performs well,” Leroy Galloway, Business Development Manager for the UK and Ireland at DoKaSch, said. “But moving forward, we’re incorporating all the factors you mentioned: CO₂ impact, commercial feasibility, operational efficiency, and the specific needs of new pharmaceutical technologies.

“Everyone’s looking at it from their angle. Pharma companies are rethinking their internal packaging. Forwarders are seeking more efficient ways to move freight. We gather insights from all of them—pharma, forwarders, airlines—and use that intelligence to shape the future of our products. Our goal is to build containers that are operationally viable, commercially competitive, and sustainable for the next 25 years.”

Finding a sustainable solution

With the post-Covid-19 period sparking a turning point for the cool chain, sustainability has moved from a background consideration to the leading priority.

“Sustainability has always been on the radar, but now it’s front and centre,” Galloway expressed. “Every meeting we have with pharmaceutical companies, sustainability is the key topic.

“Interestingly, freight forwarders are now acting almost like cold chain consultants for pharma companies, so the conversation around sustainability has become equally critical for them.

“Today, whether we’re talking to a forwarder or a pharmaceutical company, the top concern is sustainability.”

For over 15 years, DoKaSch’s fleet has primarily consisted of two active container models: the RKN and the larger RAP.

While both serve vital roles, the RAP has become the company’s flagship solution for commercial-scale air shipments. Its design delivers significant environmental advantages over passive containers, particularly in terms of space efficiency and weight.

“On a standard PMC aircraft pallet, you can fit four passive containers, each with 1 euro pallet—but you can fit five euro pallets  in our RAPs,” Galloway explained. “That’s an immediate 25 percent reduction in the carbon footprint for that flight segment.”

The rationale behind this focus is rooted in the numbers. The vast majority of a container’s carbon emissions in airfreight occur during the flight itself. By maximising pallet space and minimising weight, the RAP container reduces fuel consumption and associated emissions.

“The efficiency in space and weight results in up to a 40 percent reduction in CO₂ emissions during air transport,” Galloway said. That’s why our RAP is ideal for shipments of three pallets or more. The RKN, being heavier, makes less sense for smaller shipments, and that’s true across the industry.”

Innovation amid demand shifts

Both technological innovation and customer expectations are shaping the future of cool chain solutions.

“From an active container perspective, the market is quite mature, so there’s limited scope for dramatic change,” Galloway noted. “But with passive solutions, there’s more flexibility. We’re seeing a trend toward simplifying some of the higher-end options—reducing insulation or coolant components to streamline production and reduce impact.”

While this shift points to greater adaptability in the passive container space, Galloway emphasised the need for a more integrated approach across the industry. “Whether we’re talking active or passive, the end goal is the same—creating efficient, reliable, and future-ready solutions,” he said. “We don’t see it as active versus passive. The whole industry needs to be considered holistically.”

Speaking from LogiPharma, Galloway declared: “Our goal is to show presence, to demonstrate that we’re engaged and listening. It’s also about learning—understanding where the market is headed, what customers are prioritising. This industry evolves year by year. Things we thought were impossible before 2020 are now routine.”